ItsCake bakes Southern soul, unexpected samples and food-themed world-building into one unmistakable sound.
ItsCake is a Savannah and Atlanta based rapper, producer and multi-instrumentalist building a sample-driven, food-themed corner of Southern hip-hop entirely his own. Trained as a percussionist through years in marching and symphonic band, he taught himself piano and production as a self-described “nerdy, stubborn kid” with no mentor to show him the ropes, working his way up from online games and cheap beat machines to Fruity Loops and Sony ACID. That self-taught foundation has carried him through a steady run of releases, from his 2020 debut beat tape, Bake It Til’ You Make It, through EPs including Ain’t It Dough and his latest, BitterSweet, all built around his own motto: “Ain’t No Fakery In The Bakery.” Alongside the music, ItsCake Apparel extends that same world into clothing, with a new denim line, Fredduccine ParmeJean, on the way. ItsCake is now working with MN2S Label Services for digital distribution.
How did you get into music? What is your musical background?
Music has been with ItsCake for as long as he can remember. “Most of my memories are tied to it somehow. I can usually tell you exactly what I was listening to during any period of my life,” he says. He started trying to produce in middle school with no one to show him how. “I didn’t have a mentor, a big bro or anybody showing me what to do. I was just this nerdy, stubborn kid who wanted to be part of the rap game. Before I discovered Fruity Loops and Sony ACID, I was finding any way I could to make music, online games, cheap beat machines, whatever I could get my hands on.”
That self-taught drive sat alongside formal training as a percussionist. “I was also a band geek. I played percussion in marching band and symphonic band, and I had a group with my homies called DA LAB CREW. So I had some formal training as a percussionist, but when it came to producing and playing piano, I taught myself.” The turning point came the first time he actually finished something. “I think it became serious for me once I could actually finish a track, export it and put it on a CD or thumb drive. That was the moment it went from me just messing around to feeling like, ‘Okay, I really have a chance to be great.'”
Tell us about your first release and what was special about that one.
His first official release as ItsCake was Bake It Til’ You Make It, a beat tape that meant a lot to him simply for being his first real showcase. It also came together thanks to some persistent friends. “They would call me and cuss me out like, ‘Man, if you don’t release these beats you’re sitting on, I will.’ So eventually I put a project together, not only to get them off my back, but to give people a real showcase of what I could do.”
The release taught him an early lesson about how people actually listen now. “I went into it wanting to give everybody enough to feel completely satisfied, the way a full physical album used to. But in the streaming world, sometimes it’s better to leave people wanting more, to structure the music in a way that makes them want to run it back. Once I made that adjustment, the proof was in the pudding.”
Tell us about the latest project you worked on.
ItsCake’s latest release is BitterSweet, an EP that captures a genuinely contradictory period in his life. “At that point, life felt bittersweet, like dark chocolate. I was experiencing more joy and smiling more, which was unusual for me because I rarely smiled, but at the same time, I was under a lot of stress. Things felt just as good as they felt bad.” He describes it starkly: “Imagine being loved the most while you’re going through the most. I was seeing death firsthand while also feeling like I’d been given a new life through the people God placed around me. I never knew whether to cry, complain or be grateful, because at any moment something could happen that completely canceled out the feeling I’d just had, or turn it the other way around.” That emotional back and forth is what became BitterSweet.
He points listeners wanting the fuller picture toward what came before it. “The project before that was called Ain’t It Dough, and it was received really well too. If you want to hear the progression leading into BitterSweet, that one is definitely worth listening to.”
Could you describe your musical style and creative vision?
ItsCake sums up his sound as a specific blend of influences. “I’d describe my sound as Southern Kanye West in the way I use samples, blended with some Timbaland and a sprinkle of Pharrell. I love a good random sample, it could be yacht rock, ’80s or ’90s R&B, or even just a weird synth with a dope chord progression. Taking something unexpected and turning it into its own world, that’s my thing.”
The goal is always image over information. “I want my music to make people think and create their own imagery. When somebody can see an entire scene in their mind from something that isn’t even tangible, that does something to me.” The food theme running through his catalogue is deliberate too. “I also like keeping everything food-themed because it makes the whole experience more fun and keeps it from feeling too serious.” He’s clear-eyed about where he wants it all to go. “Ultimately, the goal is to take the sound global. I’ve never doubted that I could, I just hadn’t truly tried yet. I was waiting for the right opportunity to do it without feeling like I had to sell my soul, and this feels like that opportunity.”
What advice would you give to anyone thinking of entering the music industry?
His advice starts with a warning. “If you’re not ready to sacrifice for this, don’t do it. This dream has brought me everything, taken everything away and somehow brought it all back again. You definitely can’t look at music as a get-rich-quick scheme, because it’s far from that.” Understanding the business side, he says, matters just as much as the music itself. “It can be an incredibly rewarding business, but it can and will take a lot from you. That’s why understanding the business is just as important as understanding the music. I’ve been turning down deals since the MySpace days because they didn’t feel right. They wanted to change who I was instead of helping me become a better version of who I already am.”
His bottom line: “Learn the business, know your worth and don’t lose yourself chasing an opportunity. The right situation should help you grow without asking you to become somebody else.”
What are your plans for the rest of the year and beyond?
There’s a lot in the pipeline. “I’ve got about a year and a half to two years’ worth of singles ready to go. The first one, dropping around November 1st, is called ‘Long Day’ and features one of my favorite artists, Gift Jones. It speaks to something I think everybody can relate to right now, that feeling of wondering, ‘When are all these hard days finally going to pay off?’ We have a few more songs together that I can’t wait for people to hear.”
A full album is planned for next year. “I’m also planning to release an album next year. I’m still torn on the title, but Spilled Milk has really grown on me. I’ll know for sure when the time comes. There are plans to put a few projects on vinyl too.” The world beyond the music is expanding as well. “Alongside the music, I’ll be debuting my new denim line, Fredduccine ParmeJean, as well as dropping new pieces from ItsCake Apparel. It’s all part of the same creative world I’m building. The ultimate goal is to become the next super-producer.”
What have you enjoyed about working with MN2S Label Services?
For ItsCake, the partnership is about scaling something he’s already built. “I’ve built ItsCake to be more than someone simply pressing play on music, it’s a complete experience. The sound, visuals, food themes, clothing and personality all belong to the same world. I’m confident in what I’ve created and what I know how to do, but I’m also always willing to learn. What I’m hoping to gain from working with MN2S is the right team and support to bring that world to a much bigger audience.”
He’s clear about what success looks like from here. “I believe that with a team behind me, we can turn the foundation I’ve built into real results. To me, a successful partnership means everybody plays their part, we grow together and put ourselves in a position to secure the right opportunities for everyone involved. More than anything, I appreciate that MN2S was willing to take a chance on me, and I plan to show them why it was worth it. I can be extremely passionate at times, but there’s a reason for that. I know what this can become when it’s given a fair opportunity, and I’m ready to prove it.”
Listen and follow ItsCake: Spotify · Apple Music · Instagram · Facebook · TikTok · Official site